Handbook
for
Students with
Disabilities
Fourth Edition
Summer 2007
Table of Contents
Introduction 4
Purpose of the
Handbook 4
SSSC Commitment to
Students with Disabilities 5
Student Rights
5
Grievance Procedure
Student
Responsibilities
6
Students with
Disabilities who Succeed in College
7
What Students with
Disabilities Should Know About Attendance 7
Guidelines for
Documentation of Disability 8
Students with Visual Impairments
Students with Hearing Impairments
Students with Neurological
Disabilities
Students with Chronic Health
Disabilities
Students with Psychiatric/Mental
Health Disabilities
Students with Learning Disabilities
Students with Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders
Students with Temporary Disabilities
Disposal of
Records
10
Notice to Office of
Rehabilitation Services (ORS) Clients 10
Disabilities:
Characteristics and Reasonable Accommodations 11
Blind/Impaired Vision
Traumatic Brain Injury
Deaf/Impaired Hearing
Orthopedic/Mobility Disorders
Chronic Health Disorders
Psychiatric/Mental Health Disorders
Learning Disabilities
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder
Temporary Disabilities
Procedures for
Reduced Course Loads While Maintaining Full-Time Status 16
Criteria
Application Process
Course
Substitution
18
Alternative
Testing
19
Guidelines
Procedures
Scheduling Policy
Sample Testing Agreement
Sign Language
Interpreting Services
20
Sample Interpreting Services Agreement
Notetaker
Services
21
Lab Assistants
22
Reader Services
22
Audio-Taped
Lectures
22
Faculty Liaison 23
Assistive Technology
(Auxiliary Aids)
23
Personal
Attendants 24
Tutor Services
25
Service Animals 25
Special Furniture
Requests
26
AHEAD Professional
Standards of Practice
26
Handbook Available
Online
26
APPENDIX A
Guidelines for Diagnosticians
27
APPENDIX B
Sample Request for Accommodations Form 28
APPENDIX C
Sample Disability Certification
Letter
29
APPENDIX D
Release of Information Form
30
INTRODUCTION
It is the policy of
This handbook has been developed as a resource for students with disabilities. It contains information regarding the applicable campus policies and procedures, as well as information about student rights and responsibilities.
Three offices on the DACC campus address accessibility issues:
The Director of Administrative Services (443-8831) reviews and coordinates physical plant modifications to ensure the accessibility of campus for all students, employees, and visitors with disabilities who wish to access the College's programs and services.
The Director of Human Resources (Affirmative Action Officer and Section 504/ADA Compliance Officer) is responsible for addressing concerns of students, staff, and the public regarding compliance and accessibility. The Director may be contacted at 443-8756.
Academic accommodations and support services are arranged for eligible students with disabilities by the staff of the Student Support Services Center (SSSC) located in Cannon Hall. Students requesting academic accommodations must present proper documentation to the Coordinator of the SSSC (443-8747) before accommodations can be provided. (Refer to “Guidelines for Documentation of Disability” on pp. 8-10.) The Coordinator of SSSC serves as a liaison for students with disabilities with faculty, administrators, and staff. An inclusive campus climate is promoted by fostering an understanding of the effects of disabilities and by working to eliminate the physical, technical, and attitudinal barriers that limit the range of opportunities for students with disabilities.
PURPOSE OF THIS HANDBOOK
This Handbook is designed to assist students by providing recognized procedures for assuring students with disabilities equal access to the educational opportunities and programming at DACC. THIS MANUAL IS NOT A CONTRACT. Rather, it serves as a guideline to be used by students, faculty, and administration in assessing proper procedures and accommodations. The policies and procedures contained herein may be changed at any time, with or without notice.
SSSC COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
The
The SSSC staff is committed to ensuring equal access and reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Our goal is to enhance the educational experience of each individual by providing appropriate academic accommodations on a case-by-case basis. We encourage students to become more independent and self-reliant on the journey toward becoming their own best advocate.
STUDENT RIGHTS
Any student with a disability has the right to timely, reasonable accommodation of that disability in order to obtain the same opportunity for success enjoyed by non-disabled students.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) defines a person with a disability as a person having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity (walking, standing, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, or taking care of one’s self), has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.
Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (and amendments) “No
otherwise qualified person with a disability in the United States . . . shall,
solely by reason of . . . disability, be denied the benefits of, be excluded
from participation in, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or
activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
Students with disabilities have the right to confidentiality. Disability-related information is considered medical information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (also known as the Buckley Amendment or FERPA) and is not subject to free access. Any information regarding specific diagnosis of disability will be released only with the written permission of the student. Unless there is a threat to an individual’s safety and/or an emergency situation, consent of the student will be requested before providing any copies of medical/psychological documentation to a third party. Within the institution, disability information is released on a limited basis only and only when there is a compelling reason to do so. Students can choose to disclose disability-related information to faculty on their own if they wish to do so. However, the Department of Justice has indicated in prior rulings that faculty need only be informed that the disability has been properly documented by the department assigned with that responsibility on behalf of the institution (SSSC). Faculty members do not have the legal right to information about the nature of the disability.
Grievance Procedure
Students with disabilities who experience a situation or a conflict in which they perceive that their rights have not been fully recognized or have been compromised in some manner may resolve the conflict by following the College’s process for the resolution of grievances as set forth in the DACC Student Handbook. The sequence of contacts for the internal process is: 1) Coordinator of Student Support Services or Director of the Physical Plant, 2) Vice President of Student Services and Basic Skills, and 3) Director of Human Resources/Section 504/ADA Compliance Officer. Grievances may be resolved on an informal basis or on a formal basis. Every attempt will be made to resolve all grievances internally at the point of origin in a timely manner. Although students with disabilities are encouraged to attempt to resolve a grievance within the campus process, they have the right to file any grievance directly with the Office of Civil Rights at:
Office of Civil Rights
Voice Phone (312) 886-2359
FAX (312) 886-1807
TDD (312) 353-5693
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Students with disabilities requesting academic accommodations are required to identify themselves as such to the Coordinator of SSSC. This self-identification process should begin immediately following the decision to enroll. Though accommodations may be requested at any time, it is recommended that students do so at least two weeks before the semester starts in order for SSSC staff to provide accommodations in a timely manner (secure interpreters, obtain materials in an alternate format, etc.).
Students requesting academic accommodations must present proper documentation to the Coordinator of the SSSC before accommodations can be provided. The following section, “Guidelines for Documentation of Disability,” (pp. 8-10) defines the requirements for documentation. You may wish to provide your diagnostic professional with a copy of our "Guidelines for Diagnosticians" (See Appendix A).
Documentation must be on file in order to provide the necessary accommodations to students with disabilities who wish to take the DACC placement test.
While documentation need only be provided once, academic accommodations must be requested each semester through the SSSC (See Appendix B). Each semester in which you request services, a Disability Certification Letter (See Appendix C) will be sent to your instructors detailing your requested accommodations and explaining how they can be implemented.
Students with disabilities must maintain the same academic standards required of all DACC students as outlined in the college catalog.
Students with disabilities must abide by the DACC Student Conduct Code.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WHO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE
Students with disabilities who succeed in college generally possess the following characteristics:
§ Ability to articulate his/her talents and abilities clearly.
§ Knowledge of the nature of his/her disability and the kinds of teaching strategies, tools, and services which work best to help him/her compensate.
§ Ability to explain both talents and needed compensatory strategies clearly and frankly to others.
§ Maturity and initiative to assume the greater share of his/her own advocacy.
§ Ability to adhere to effective, routine study habits to whatever degree is necessary for success.
§ Acceptance of and initiative to seek assistance for academic and other problems, as appropriate.
§ Acceptance of the idea that it may take longer to graduate than his/her friends, and that he/she may have to study harder than friends.
§ Recognition of the concept that post-secondary education is meant to be a challenge and that temporary frustrations are a part of the normal growth process.
§ Regular, frequent communication with parents, friends, classroom instructors, academic advisors, and support services personnel.
WHAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
ATTENDANCE
Class attendance policies are not determined by the
In some cases, attendance is fundamental to course objectives; for example, students may be required to interact with others in the class, to demonstrate the ability to think and argue critically, or to participate in group projects. In other instances, faculty may determine that students can master course content despite some or many absences.
Similarly, faculty also determine policies regarding make-up work and missed quizzes and exams. Faculty are not required to lower or effect substantial modifications of standards for accommodation purposes.
Students should listen closely to faculty announcements on the first day of class regarding attendance/makeup policies. Most faculty also include such information in the course syllabus.
The SSSC can provide students with written verification of their disabilities, based on appropriate medical and/or psychological documentation. This verification can address the legitimacy of absences and may be used to initiate discussions of attendance and makeup policies and procedures.
GUIDELINES FOR DOCUMENTATION OF DISABILITY
Documentation legitimizes a student’s request for accommodation. It must be on file with the Coordinator of the SSSC before accommodations may be granted. Results of any standardized tests administered by the appropriate licensed professionals listed below should be included. Documentation should be current and should include the following criteria:
Students with a Visual Impairment:
Appropriate Professional: Ophthalmologist
a) the amount of residual vision present (e.g., visual acuity, color vision deficits) and whether the disability is stable, progressive, or fluctuating
b) the impact of the impairment on the student’s functioning in a college environment (e.g., the need for large print, texts on tape).
Students with a Hearing Impairment:
Appropriate Professional: Certified Audiologist
a) the amount of hearing loss (e.g., hearing acuity) and whether the disability is stable, progressive or fluctuating
b) the impact of the impairment on the student’s functioning in a college environment (e.g., the need for assistive listening devices, interpreters).
Students with a Neurological Disability:
Appropriate Professional: Neurologist, Neuropsychologist, Clinical Psychologist Psychiatrist, or Physician.
a) a clear statement of the disability, along with the DSM-IV diagnosis (if applicable) and summary of present symptoms
b) plans for ongoing support and monitoring
c) medical information relating to the effect of the disability on the student’s ability to meet the demands of a college environment (including the impact of medication or other treatment on performance)
d) a psychoeducational assessment may also be required.
Students with Chronic Health Disabilities:
Appropriate Professional: Physician
a) a clear statement of the diagnosis and a summary of present symptoms
b) a statement indicating whether the disability is permanent/ongoing or if the disability needs to be reassessed periodically
c) medical information relating to the effect of the disability on the student’s ability to meet the demands of a college environment (including the impact of medication or other treatment on performance).
Students with Mental Health Disabilities:
Appropriate Professional: Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatrist or Physician.
a) a clear statement of the disability, DSM-IV diagnosis, summary of present symptoms
b) plans for ongoing support and monitoring
c) medical information relating to the effect of the disability on the student’s ability to meet the demands of a college environment (including the impact of medication or other treatment on performance).
d) current documentation for this category means within the past year (six months for major depressive episode)
Students with Learning Disabilities:
a) the name and credentials of the evaluator as well as the date(s) of testing
b) evidence that the student meets the following three criteria:
1. Average intellectual ability based on performance on a standardized IQ test (the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale III/WAIS III is preferred).
2. A significant discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement in one or more academic area (i.e. reading, math, written expression).
3. The academic discrepancy is linked to weaknesses in information and cognitive processing abilities.
c) a current evaluation (no more than five years before the request for accommodations) or the evaluation must have been completed as an adult (18 years or older). Because the provision of all reasonable accommodations and services is based upon the current impact of the student’s disabilities on his/her academic performance, it is in the student’s best interest that the documentation be recent.
d) clear and specific evidence and identification of a learning disability. Individual “learning styles” and “learning differences” do not constitute a learning disability.
Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders:
Appropriate Professional: Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Physician.
a) a clear statement of the disability, DSM-IV diagnosis, summary of present symptoms
b) medical information relating to the effect of the disability on the student’s ability to meet the demands of a college environment (including the impact of medication or other treatment on performance)
c) if a learning disability or other disability is co-existing, and the student wishes accommodations for these disabilities, the criteria for documentation of the additional disabilities must also be met.
d) current documentation for this category means within the past three years
Students with Temporary Disabilities:
Appropriate Professional: Physician
a) a clear statement of the diagnosis and summary of present symptoms
b) a statement specifying the time period of the temporary illness or disability
c) medical information relating to the effect of the disability on the student’s ability to meet the demands of a college environment (including the impact of medication or other treatment on performance).
Please Note: Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Section
504 plans are useful but are not, in and of themselves, sufficient
documentation to establish the rationale for accommodations.
The Coordinator of Student Support Services reserves the right to modify documentation requirements as deemed appropriate on a case-by-case basis.
DISPOSAL OF RECORDS
Once a student with a documented disability is no longer enrolled at DACC, his/her file is given Inactive Status. When a student’s file has remained in Inactive Status for a period of five years, the file contents are shredded and a Disposed File Form is completed and kept.
NOTICE TO OFFICE OF REHABILITATION SERVICES (ORS) CLIENTS
Students with disabilities who are also vocational rehabilitation clients are responsible for taking the steps necessary to ensure that their tuition and fees are paid in a timely manner. It is very important that they complete the following steps in order to prevent problems from occurring:
§ Obtain a copy of their class schedule and bill when registering.
§ Note the payment due date (if it is not printed on the bill, ask for the due date).
§ Mail or hand deliver a copy of their schedule and bill to their vocational rehabilitation counselor.
§ Advise their vocational rehabilitation counselor of the DACC Billing Policy (as printed in the DACC catalog): “Tuition and fees will be due and payable on dates designated by the College each semester. Failure to meet those dates may result in a student being dropped from all classes.” If registering within two weeks of the start of the current semester, the possibility exists that their vocational rehabilitation counselor may not have sufficient time to process their paperwork and get it to the DACC Business Office by the due date. In that event, the vocational rehabilitation counselor should be directed to phone the DACC Business Office at (217)443-8592 to make other arrangements.
§ When a student’s bill is not paid by the published due date, that student may be dropped from all classes. Once a student’s name is deleted from the class roster, that student may not be able to re-enroll in the same classes because some popular courses fill up quickly.
The Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS) in
Vocational Rehabilitation Services of Vermillion County, IN,
is located at
DISABILITIES: CHARACTERISTICS AND REASONABLE
ACCOMMODATIONS
(Much of the following information regarding specific disability characteristics and corresponding reasonable accommodations was copied with permission from The Policy Book: Guidance for Disability Service Providers by JoAnne Hill, LRP Publications, 2000.)
The following descriptions are intended to
give a general overview of basic disability categories and suggested reasonable
accommodations. Because functional
limitations and abilities vary widely, accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Blind/Impaired Vision
Visual disabilities vary widely. Visual impairments include disorders that affect the central vision acuity, field of vision, color perception, or binocular visual function. The American Medical Association defined legal blindness as visual acuity not exceeding 20/200 in the better eye with correction, or a limit in the field of vision that is less than a 20 degree angle (tunnel vision). Legal blindness may be caused by tumors, infections, injuries, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, vascular impairments, or myopia. Some students may use a guide dog (or other service animal), others a white cane, while others may not require any mobility assistance.
Accommodations may
include:
·
· Textbooks ordered in the preferred medium of the student.
· Seating in the front of the class without glare from windows.
· Tape recording of lectures and class discussions.
· Use of a note-taking device or a notetaker in the classroom.
· Handouts in the medium that the student prefers.
· Clear black print on white, pale blue, or pale yellow paper. Instructors are encouraged to use a black felt tip marker on white board (instead of chalkboard).
· Testing accommodations: taped tests, reading of tests, scribe, extended time, low-distraction environment, enlarged print, word processing software with speech access.
· Materials presented on the board or transparencies read out loud.
· Lab assistance.
· Advance notice of class schedule or location changes.
· Passageways kept clear.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Closed head injury is one of the fastest growing types of disabilities for individuals 15 to 28 years old. There is a wide range of differences in the effects of a TBI on the individual. Functions which may be affected include: memory, cognitive/perceptual communication, speed of thinking, spatial reasoning, conceptualization, psychosocial behaviors, motor abilities, sensory perception, and physical disabilities including speech impairment. The effects may be mild, moderate, or severe.
Students with TBI may demonstrate one or more of the following characteristics:
· Difficulty organizing thoughts, cause-effect relationships, and problem solving.
· Difficulty processing information and retrieving words.
· Difficulty generalizing and integrating skills.
· Difficulty interacting with others.
· Difficulty compensating for memory loss.
· May need to establish routines with step-by-step directions.
· May need books and lectures on tape.
· May need repetition or some type of reinforcement of information to be learned.
· May demonstrate poor judgment and memory problems.
· May benefit from tutoring.
· May exhibit discrepancies in abilities such as reading comprehension at a much lower level than spelling ability.
· May have difficulty with projection and clarity of voice.
Accommodations may include:
· Reduced course load.
· Extended time on tests, low-distraction environment.
· Tape recorded lectures.
· Notetaker in classroom.
· Texts on tape.
· Assistive technology (calculator, word processor).
Deaf/Impaired Hearing
More individuals in the
Accommodations may include:
· Seating in the front of the classroom.
· Written supplement to oral instructions, assignments, and directions.
· Use of visual aids as often as possible.
· Speaker facing the class during lectures, speaking slowly, using shorter sentences whenever possible with appropriate facial expressions and gestures.
· Speaker repeating the questions that other students in the class ask.
· Notetaker in classroom.
· Testing with extended time in a low-distraction environment, access to word processor.
· Unfamiliar vocabulary written on the board or a handout.
· Use of an amplification system.
· An interpreter seated where the student can see the interpreter and the lecturer.
· Excess noise reduced as much as possible to facilitate communication.
· Captioned videos
Orthopedic/Mobility Disorders
A variety of orthopedic/mobility-related disabilities result from congenital conditions, accidents, or progressive neuromuscular diseases. These disabilities include conditions such as spinal cord injury (paraplegia or quadriplegia), cerebral palsy, spina bifida, amputation, muscular dystrophy, cardiac conditions, cystic fibrosis, paralysis, polio/post polio, and stroke.
Students with mobility
disorders may demonstrate any of the following characteristics:
§ Pain, spasticity, or lack of coordination.
§ Flare-ups of intensity of the symptoms.
§ Period of remission in which little or no symptoms are visible.
§ Inability to walk without crutches, canes, braces, or walkers.
§ Inability to stand or walk and may use wheelchair to conserve energy or gain speed.
§ Limited lower body use but full use of arms and hands (or vice versa).
§ Impairment of speech or hearing.
§ Limited head or neck movement.
§ Decreased physical stamina and endurance.
§ Decreased eye-hand coordination.
Accommodations may
include:
§ Accessible location for the classroom; place for faculty to meet with student.
§ Extra time to get from one class to another, especially in inclement weather.
§ Special seating in classrooms.
§ Notetaker, use of tape recorder, or laptop computer.
§ Test accommodations: extended time, separate location, scribe, access to word processor.
§ Special computer equipment/software: voice-activated word processing, word prediction, keyboard modification.
§ Adjustable lab/drafting tables for classes taught in those settings.
§ Lab assistance.
§ Accessible parking.
§ Texts on tape.
§ Advance planning for field trips to ensure accessibility (if the college provides student transportation, it must be accessible to the student with a mobility disorder).
§ Lockers to store materials or a second set of textbooks kept in the classroom.
Chronic Health Disorders
There are students with disabilities that originate from a chronic health disorder. The degree to which these disabilities affect students in the academic setting vary widely. At times, it is not the condition itself but the medication that is required to control symptoms that impairs academic performance. Common side effects of medications include fatigue, memory loss, shortened attention span, loss of concentration, and drowsiness. In some cases, the degree of impairment may vary from time to time because of the nature of the disability or the medication. Some conditions are progressive and others may be stable.
A partial list of
chronic health disorders:
§ AIDS
§ Hemophilia
§ Arthritis
§ Lupus
§ Asthma
§ Motor neuron diseases